16
20
3. Tea, London and American markets higher or lower.
4. Silver. Bar and Dollars, quotations of.
5. Bank rate of discount, if changed.
6. Rupees.
Exchange on India.
7. Treasure, Shipments or purchases for the Straits and China by the P. & O. and Messageries Steamers.
8. Exchange, New York on London.
9. Gold. Premium in New York.
10. Consols, price of
11. Brief Summary of Political or other events of importance to the latest dates.
0000
APPENDIX E.
Scale of Commissions adopted by the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, at their Half-yearly General Meeting, held on the 16th November, 1863.
Purchasing Tea, Raw Silk, Opium and Cotton, ... 3 per cent.
Do. all other Goods and Produce, Ships and Real Estate, ... 5 per cent.
Do. Bullion, ... 1/8 per cent.
Selling Tea, Raw Silk, Opium and Cotton, ... 3 per cent.
Do. all other Goods and Produce, Ships, and Real Estate, ... 5 per cent.
Inspecting Silk or Tea, ... 1/8 per cent.
Guaranteeing Sales and Remittances when required, ... 1/2 per cent.
Do. Sales alone, ... 1/4 per cent.
Drawing or indorsing Bills of Exchange, ... 1/8 per cent.
Do. or negotiating Bills of Exchange without recourse, ... 1/4 per cent.
Realizing Bullion or Bills of Exchange, ... 1/8 per cent.
Remitting the proceeds of Bullion or Bills of Exchange, ... 1/8 per cent.
Paying and receiving Money in current account, ... No commission.
Do. Ship's Disbursements, ... 1 per cent.
Collecting Freight, ... 5 per cent.
Obtaining Freight or Charter, ... 5 per cent.
Adjusting Insurance Claims, and collecting same freight, ... 5 per cent.
Effecting Insurance; on the insured amount, ... $3 per cent.
Prosecuting or Defending Successfully Claims either at Law or by Arbitration, ... 21 per cent.
Do. or Defending Unsuccessfully, ... 1 per cent.
Managing Estates and collecting Rents, ... 5 per cent.
Transhipping and Forwarding Jewellery and Bullion, ... 1/8 per cent.
Landing or Transhipping Cargo, ... 1/4 per cent.
Transhipping and Forwarding Opium, ... $3 per chest.
Goods withdrawn or reshipped, ... 1 per cent.
Granting letters of Credit, ... 1/4 per cent.
Brokerage on Bills and Bullion, buying and selling, ... 1/8 per cent.
Do. Produce and General Merchandize, ... 1 per cent.
Ship Brokerage, ... half commission.
The foregoing rates to be exclusive of Shroffage at the rate of $1 per mil, and Brokerage when paid.
21
APPENDIX F.
CIRCULAR.
The necessity for combined action on the part of the foreign Commercial Community in China, in resisting the avowed determination of the Imperial Customs to exercise sole and irresponsible authority in seizing and confiscating Ships or Cargo for alleged breaches of Treaty engagements, is making itself increasingly felt; and, as regards British subjects, the necessity is made stronger by the disinclination of Her Majesty's Consuls, acting under superior orders, to take up such cases when brought to their notice; and by the evident desire of Her Majesty's Minister at Peking to depend for redress of grievances rather on diplomatic action, than on the firm assertion of rights acquired by his countrymen under Treaty.
It is the fashion with Official men at present to deal with questions between Foreigners and the Chinese, as if China were included in the comity of civilized nations, instead of being expressly excluded therefrom by the terms of every Treaty existing between the Empire and Christian nations. As a consequence, an appeal to the judicial functions of Consuls is discouraged; but Lord Clarendon in his despatch to Sir George Bonham of June, 26th 1853, enclosing the order in Council of the 13th of the same month, thus states the case. "In ordinary cases of British subjects resorting to a foreign country, their persons and property are entrusted to the Laws and Institutions of the Country to which they may resort, in the full assurance that those will be duly administered, and that the Institutions of such country, although they may differ from those of England, are substantially in harmony with the general principles of jurisprudence recognized among Christian Communities. But the case is different as regards China, and there the British Crown has found it necessary to require that British subjects shall be entirely exempted from the jurisdiction of the local tribunals, and has engaged in return, either expressly, or by implication, to take effectual measures for the maintenance among such British subjects of peace, order, and good government."
The important principle laid down by Lord Clarendon, one of equal value to all foreigners resident in China, was enforced in the Treaty of Nanking, and in the declaratory order in Council of June, 13th 1853; was preserved in the Treaty of Tientsin; and is as essential to the security of foreign life and property at the present moment as it ever was.
To maintain therefore intact all the ex-territorial privileges conceded by the Chinese Government, and among them, the judicial, as distinct from the diplomatic, functions of Consuls, is the duty of all Foreigners in China. But from the very magnitude of the powers thus conferred upon Consuls arises the reflection, that they are like other mortals but fallible men and liable to error. An appeal therefore to a higher and independent authority from the decisions of the officers invested with the Consular functions, whether Superintendents or Subordinates, is indispensable to the thorough support of their authority by their respective countrymen. In the case of British subjects this does not exist, for the decisions, on appeal to him, of the Superintendent of Trade are final; and the only mode of getting beyond him to a higher tribunal would be by Petition of Right to the Queen in Council.
Admitting fully however the vital importance of such a right of appeal, it will be found that practically, in perhaps a majority of instances, recourse to it is barred by its great expense, and the Committee of the Chamber in consequence, fully approving...